Worse than a dull razor: 'Nightmare on Elm Street' remake is just a bad dream

Horror fans, we have some bad news for you: The remake of A Nightmare On Elm Street isn't worth losing any sleep over. Times film critic Steve Persall caught the sneak preview on Wednesday night and wasn't impressed.

"You can keep a checklist of the original's signature scenes with insignificant changes, like Freddy's wallpaper stretch over a would-be victim's bed, and his razor glove emerging between her legs in a soapy bathtub," Persall writes in his review. "The only difference is a heavier reliance upon the cheapest scare tactic going today, those loud sonic stings marking Freddy's abrupt arrivals that never fail to make viewers jump. I swear they already have screams added to the mix, like a laugh track for an unfunny sitcom."

Click here to read the rest of the bad news. Here's a trailer if you're still unsure.

About this blog

Relive the '80s music, movies and culture with Tampa Bay Times correspondent Steve Spears. A teen during the greatest decade ever, Steve is obsessed with everything from Duran Duran to Journey, John Hughes to John Cusack, and parachute pants to big hair.